A State-by-State History of Race and Racism in the United States: [2 volumes]

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Providing chronologies of important events, historical narratives from the first settlement to the present, and biographies of major figures, this work offers readers an unseen look at the history of racism from the perspective of individual states. From the initial impact of European settlement on indigenous populations to the racial divides caused by immigration and police shootings in the 21st century, each American state has imposed some form of racial restriction on its residents. The United States proclaims a belief in freedom and justice for all, but members of various minority racial groups have often faced a different reality, as seen in such examples as the forcible dispossession of indigenous peoples during the Trail of Tears, Jim Crow laws' crushing discrimination of blacks, and the manifest unfairness of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Including the District of Columbia, the 51 entries in these two volumes cover the state-specific histories of all of the major minority and immigrant groups in the United States, including African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Native Americans. Every state has had a unique experience in attempting to build a community comprising multiple racial groups, and the chronologies, narratives, and biographies that compose the entries in this collection explore the consequences of racism from states' perspectives, revealing distinct new insights into their respective racial histories.

Reviews

As the set is designed for high school students, undergraduates, and general readers, most academic and public libraries will find the set a useful addition in developing more comprehensive collections on race and racism. * ARBA *
The writers of each section approach heavy topics with the implications for 21st-century America in mind, and with honest language that undergraduates will easily understand. While readers will have to piece together the larger story of racism in the U.S. from each state's individual history, the unique organization of this work makes it a valuable and timely contribution to this field. * Choice *

Author Bio

Patricia Reid-Merritt is Distinguished Professor of Social Work and Africana Studies at Stockton University, in Galloway, New Jersey.